Within Your Heart
by oxjenayxo
Summary: Kayami, Inuyasha's first true love has to choose between her destiny and the one she loves. Not only that, but Sesshomaru is secretly in love with her as well and the war against Naraku only becomes more perilous. M for swearing and implied sexual scenes.
1. Prologue

A blanket of tension rested upon the forest as Kayami checked her sack for all her items. She looked up at the sun slowly climbing the sky and squinted.

"Are you sure you have to go? What if you get hurt?"

Kayami turned around and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Inuyasha. I'm a priestess, I was trained for this."

"How will I know if you are safe?"

"I will send you a message. Take care of Sora while I'm gone, okay?" Inuyasha nodded. His brows furrowed and he caressed her cheek. His hand went from her cheek to her chin, to her throat, where it rested. He touched her necklace, and fingered the chain.

"Who gave you this?" he asked softly, trying to distract his mind from the thought of her having to leave soon.

"Lady Kikyo. She said the Great Priestess instructed her to give it to me."

"_Kayami, I want you to have this," Kikyo said, taking out a necklace from inside her hakama._

"_Kikyo… I could never. I have no right to take it from you," Kayami said firmly._

_Kikyo smiled and opened Kayami's palm. She placed the necklace into Kayami's palm and closed her fingers over it. "The Great Priestess gave it to me for safe-keeping, in hopes that it would one day be returned to its rightful owner."_

"_I… I don't understand," Kayami said softly, staring at the necklace in her hand. It pulsed with a steady violet light._

"_She came to me… in a dream. She said that fate had chosen the owner for the necklace. She saw your hidden power and told me that it was meant for you," Kikyo replied simply._

"_Why was it meant for me, and not you, Kikyo? Surely, you are the greater priestess. I don't understand. Why did the Great Priestess choose me?" Kayami asked._

_Kikyo smiled. "You will receive your answers in time. For now you must be patient." _

_Kayami tilted her head slightly. "You don't know the purpose of the necklace either."_

_"Even the Great Priestess herself does not know," Kikyo said softly. "She said that when the time came, everything will be revealed as it should."_

It was a small, teardrop-shaped crystal pendant. A dark violet sapphire embedded in the crystal gave off a steady violet glow. She had never seen a sapphire of that color before. Yet, she knew it was a sapphire and not an amethyst. The crystal rested on a thin silver chain. It nestled comfortably around her neck, giving her comfort and warmth.

"Remember the promise we made to Mother and Father?" Inuyasha asked.

Kayami looked into his eyes and replied softly, "How could I forget?"

"_Inuyasha! Kayami! Come here, please. I have something important to tell both of you, so listen carefully," Lady Shinju started calmly. "Lord Nishu and I have decided that the two of you are to marry when Kayami turns sixteen."_

"_Me? Get married?" Inuyasha protested._

_Lady Shinju smiled. "You'll understand when you're older. For now, just promise me."_

"_Yes, Mother," Inuyasha replied obediently._

_Kayami giggled and pointed at Inuyasha. "You have to get married! You have to get married!" she teased._

"_This goes for you too, Kayami. I want you and Inuyasha to get married when you turn sixteen. Promise?"_

"_I promise." Kayami said, making a face. "Inuyasha, come on, let's go play!"_

Inuyasha handed her a small package. She opened it and gasped. It was Lady Shinju's journal. Her eyes welled up with tears as she fingered the embroidery of the journal. On the front, engraved in gold lettering, was "Within Your Heart," the saying told to her repeatedly as a child.

"I know how much it meant to you. And I'm sure she wanted you to have it," Inuyasha said softly, running his fingers through her hair.

Kayami wiped the tears from her eyes and looked into his eyes. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned forward. She closed her eyes and tilted her chin upwards as their lips met in a final, sweet kiss. She smiled sadly as they parted and pretended to busy herself with fixing Sora's saddle so Inuyasha wouldn't see that the tears falling down her face. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered into her ear, "I love you."

She turned her head so she could look at him. She whispered in reply, "I love you, too."

Inuyasha watched sadly as Kayami mounted Sorano, her winged horse, who unfurled her wings, and soared off into the sky. He looked off into the sky long after she has disappeared from his sight before heading back to the inner part of the forest.

Kayami dismounted at a mountain village, refusing to take Sorano any further. She continued on foot through the fields to the forest. Kayami used her sword and cut her way through the dense forest, stopping to rest when she came upon a clearing. It was well kept and the trees were neatly trimmed. There were no signs of weeds or fallen leaves, although winter would be upon them in a matter of months.

A small branch caught her wary eye. It lazily stuck out of the otherwise neatly trimmed trees. She didn't touch it, for the trunk it was attached to had demonic markings. Uneasy, she grabbed her things, and attempted to cut through the neatly kept trees. She swung her blade and the branch snapped, but her sword bounced back at her. She dodged the swinging blade just in time, before it swung at her again. Quickly, Kayami cast a spell around her. As a defensive wall came up and the sword was lifeless once more, falling to the ground as though it never flew in the first place.

Kayami picked up the fallen branch and carefully examined its design. She could feel a powerful source of magic coming from it. She thrust her sword in the middle of the trees. It bounced back at her and she realized there was a powerful magical barrier. Kayami sheathed her sword and used her magic to test the barrier's strength. She gathered magic in the palm of her hand, bracing herself for the impact. She unleashed it, slamming it into the forest, and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind screamed for freedom as the light of her magic surrounded her. Her mind went blank as she felt her life force leave her body. When it stopped, she lost consciousness and all was still.

Kayami opened her eyes and tried to sit up. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she closed her eyes until her mind cleared. When her temples stopped throbbing, she gathered her things and stood up. A forceful wind caught her off guard and pushed her down. She continued walking blindly into it. The wind lashed at her hair, her clothes, and her face. She shuddered. The wind was another obstacle to prevent visitors from entering, conjured up by magic. Suddenly, a thick white fog enveloped her, and the wind fell still and silent. Kayami ventured on for an hour before realizing she was lost. The fog thickened and covered her like a thick wet blanket. She continued blindly, guided by her magic and her other senses.Her heart thudded with terror. She sensed something behind her, but before she could unsheathe her sword, she was on her back, unconscious. Sesshomaru appeared out of the trees, and picked her up.

He flew to his castle, Kayami in his arms. She moaned and her eyes fluttered open. Sesshomaru grinned evilly at her, chuckling at the horror in her eyes. His cold demon eyes sparkled as a sinister scheme formed in his mind.


	2. Captured!

**Within Your Heart**  
**by kIKi  
**

_**Chapter 1: Captured!**_

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Kayami propped herself up on her right hand, for the other was twisted from her earlier encounter with Sesshomaru. She watched him as he casually stepped into the room and motioned for Jaken to bring them tea. As Jaken hurried out of the room, Sesshomaru walked up to Kayami and took her chin in his hand. She tried to look away, but he forced her to look at him. He studied her face, especially her eyes, looking for any sign of fear. He pushed her back and she lay crumpled on the floor. Kayami remained unmoved from her crumpled position, her sore wrist cramped under the weight of her body. Her face, hidden beneath her hair, hid the tears in her eyes. 

Jaken scurried in and set up the den for tea. Sesshomaru sat comfortably on a sofa and sipped his tea. She quickly did a running checklist in her head. All her possessions were missing except for the journal and the necklace given to her by Kikyo. Sesshomaru motioned her to sit across from him in a calm and cold manner that made her hair stand on end.

_I'll go along with your game__… for now_ Kayami thought as she sat down.

"Dear Kayami. Here to defend the honor of the one you love, aren't you?" he said mockingly. He smiled and leaned back, taking another sip of his tea. "Jaken."

"Yes, mi Lord?"

"Take her to her chambers. I wish to get a bit of a nap before the evening meal."

Jaken bowed. "Yes, mi Lord. Follow me."

Sesshomaru watched Kayami leave in amusement. _The same Kayami, even after all these years_, he reflected.

_Two-year-old Kayami picked flowers __from__ the gardens, and stuck them in her long hair. She didn't notice the dark clouds looming overhead, or that Lady Shinju was calling her in. __She__ wandered farther, away from the safety of the village.__Only when the sun had dipped below the horizon did she notice she was lost. _Where am I?_ Kayami spun around, dropping her flowers. She screamed at a dark shadow approaching her._

_Five-year-old Sesshomaru came out of the bushes bewildered at her screams. "__I__ only came because Lady Shinju said to get you. __Calm down__."_

_Kayami folded her arms over her chest defiantly and raised her chin stubbornly. "I__'__m not lost! I know where I am, and I don't need your help!"_

_Sesshomaru shrugged and turned away. "Suit yourself." He disappeared into the shadows, leaving Kayami __by herself__ She looked around and nervously tapped her foot._

_"Wait!"__s__he cried out, whimpering. Too late, he had already left. She was alone in the forest,__ with__ nightfall settling in rapidly.__ "Sesshomaru!"_

Sesshomaru smiled at the memories. He had waited just outside the trees. She stumbled outside the small cluster of trees and he caught her. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears and her kimono was tattered. He carried her home and Lady Shinju put her down in front of the fire. He had watched her for hours. He saw her lips turn from a purplish blue to its original color, and witnessed the color return to her cheeks.

Kayami was led upstairs. They passed many rooms, until they came to one at the end of the hallway. She saw many paintings of Lady Shinju, and her heart clenched with sadness every time. She thought it strange that Sesshomaru didn't take the paintings down, for he had despised Lady Shinju with all his heart.

"Jaken, what does Sesshomaru want? As far as I know, he's not the least bit interested in humans," Kayami asked.

Jaken looked at her sideways. "That's Lord Sesshomaru to you, girl. And what Lord Sesshomaru does is none of your business!" he snapped.

"Fine," she said, stepping into her room and slamming the door in his face.

She flung herself on the bed, crying herself into an exhausted sleep.

_Kayami wandered into a small cluster of trees, and sat down to rest. The sun had gone down, and it was drizzling. Kayami didn't notice the night settling in until the last rays of the sun had disappeared. She didn't know where to go. _Where am I?_ She wondered, her kimono soaking wet._

_She heard a rustling of trees and screamed. "Get away!"_

_"Calm down, it's only me."_

_Kayami trembled. "Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?"_

_"Lady Shinju said to come get you. A storm's coming in and she said you were going to get lost. Come on, I'll take you home."_

_Kayami stuck out her chin stubbornly. "I'm not lost! I know where I am, and I don't need your help!"_

_Sesshomaru looked at her, surprised. "Suit yourself," he said, disappearing into the shadows._

_She looked around and whimpered at the sudden darkness. Kayami pounded on the trees, looking for a way out. She felt herself growing hysterical and threw herself at the trees Sesshomaru had come through, stumbling as she landed in his waiting arms. She glanced up, her face streaked with dirt and tears._

_"I was waiting for you," he said, smiling at her shocked expression._

_Kayami smiled and closed her eyes. She knew she was safe._

It was dark when she awoke. For a moment, she thought she had returned to her childhood. She looked around and remembered where she was and sighed in despair. She thought about her dream. She remembered the mocking look in his eyes, over ten years ago, when she had wandered too far and refused his help. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she remembered how he had carried her home. Oddly though, she had felt safe in his arms. She didn't remember much after that moment because she had fallen asleep. She had an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She shook her head and looked around.

Her eyes widened in awe at the beauty of the room. The bed was made of the softest material she had ever felt, with blankets and pillows made of the finest silk. A mahogany chest and a polished mirror sat in a lonesome corner to her right. Kayami sat, restless, on the bed. Why would he prepare all this for her? What did he want? She heard a knock on the thick, almost soundproof door. She froze in terror, praying it was not Sesshomaru.

She gave out a sigh of relief when it was Jaken. "You are to wear the moon silk kimono in the closet, pressed and cleaned for you. Lord Sesshomaru expects you at his table tonight." He closed the door behind him and settled down on the floor of the corridor, playing with the carvings on his staff while he waited.

She stomped over to the closet and grabbed the moon silk kimono off the shelf. She gasped at its beauty. She had only seen this kind of material once - Lady Shinju's wedding gown, which was made of the same expensive material as the kimono before her. She had once asked Lady Shinju to put on her wedding gown. A tear trickled down Kayami's cheek at the memory. Lady Shinju had been so good to her.

Kayami sat down on the bed, the kimono across her lap. She decided to try it on, just to see what it looked like. She released her hair from its tight ponytail and brushed out the tangles. She put on the dress and twirled in front of the mirror, admiring how the silver fabric made her skin glow. She stopped and stared at herself in the mirror. This was not the Kayami she was raised to be. Expensive fabrics and jewels were luxuries even the richest in her village could not afford. It was not the way of the priestess.

Kayami sighed and took off the dress. _M__ight as well go down and see what he wants,_ she thought. She was not expecting a pleasant evening. Kayami dressed in a lavender kimono and tied her hair back with a matching ribbon. She put on the slippers provided for her and stepped out into the hall, ignoring the disapproving look from Jaken.

"Lord Sesshomaru will not like this," he warned her.

"You do not have to wear the moon silk kimono. I do, and I know how to handle Sesshomaru," she replied coldly.

"That's Lord Sesshomaru to you!" he screamed at her. Kayami ignored him and muttered a quick spell on her room. Satisfied, she followed Jaken back downstairs.

Kayami refused to meet Sesshomaru's gaze as she sat down. "I thought I asked you to wear the moon silk kimono, my dear," he asked with fake innocence.

"It wasn't to my liking," she muttered. "Besides, I was raised not to accept things from strangers, especially dangerous ones."

Sesshomaru mocked hurt. "Are you calling me a stranger, Kayami? After all those things we went through?"

Kayami rolled her eyes with impatience. Of all the demons, why did she have to grow up with this one?

"Very well." He stood up and offered his arm to her. "Perhaps you would prefer a walk in the garden?"

Kayami reluctantly took his arm as he led her to the castle gardens beyond the main gate. Birds and animals flocked in the lush green meadows; fruit and berries were abundant in the trees and bushes, with a huge, beautiful lake in the center. A waterfall fell from the mountain cliffs that protected the rear of the castle. The sight was breathtaking.

_Is all of this real? How can such a beautiful place rest in the home of such a cold-hearted demon?_ Kayami wondered, awed at its beauty. _Of course, this home was supposed to be Inuyasha's_, she reminded herself.

"Come." He led her down a small path where they crossed a stone bridge overlooking the lake. She followed him, unsure of what else to do. On the other side of the lake was the small summerhouse patio. To her left were several fruit trees where birds and small animals chattered fondly.

A mindless servant brought tea as Kayami sat down with Sesshomaru on the patio. She sipped her tea quietly, looking longingly at the lake and the waterfall. Sesshomaru followed her gaze and wondered why she looked so sad.

When she turned back to him, though, the look was replaced with one of grief and despair. Sesshomaru was puzzled at her mood. "Why did you come here in the first place?"

"Why are you keeping me prisoner?" she asked in response, refusing to answer his question.

Sesshomaru chuckled. "You're still bitter that I've captured you. You haven't changed at all."

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Please comment/review! I'd like to know what you think. 


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